Rebels fall in behind French government before confidence vote

February 19, 2015 3:58 PM

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PARIS (Reuters) - Rebel backbench Socialists signalled they would back French President Francois Hollande and his government in a no-confidence vote on Thursday, making it likely the opposition-led move would fail.

The vote was called after Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Tuesday resorted to a little-used decree mechanism to bypass parliament and push through a package of economically liberal reforms opposed by the French left, a move widely denounced as anti-democratic.